Drew Barrymore Revealed She Has Been Trying To Make A "Wizard Of Oz" Sequel For 28 Years

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The Wizard of Oz is an enduring Hollywood classic that has captured the imaginations and hearts of audiences of all ages for the last 85 years. The movie's popularity has also led to countless prequels and sequel films, retellings, and TV shows based on the story to be produced over the decades.

Scarecrow, Tin Man, Dorothy, and Cowardly Lion walk on a yellow brick road in a scenic landscape with flowers and trees, inspired by "The Wizard of Oz"
Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images

Notably, Wicked, which is a prequel set to be released later this year. However, with very few exceptions, all the films (including Wicked) and TV shows are based on the L. Frank Baum Oz books and not the 1939 MGM film.

Poster for the musical "Wicked" featuring Glinda the Good Witch in a pink gown and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, on a broom. The text says: "Everyone Deserves a Chance to Fly"
/ ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Well, if it were up to Drew Barrymore, we might have actually gotten a sequel to The Wizard of Oz. In a recent interview with Us Weekly, Drew revealed that she has been trying to get a sequel* titled Surrender Dorothy made for the last 28 years.

Drew Barrymore at a Paramount event

*Us Weekly reported that it's a prequel; however, all the previous information about the movie describes it as a sequel.

Arturo Holmes / WireImage / Getty Images

According to Drew, the script for Surrender Dorothy was one of the first scripts she developed when she started her production company Flower Films in 1995, adding, "I fell in love with [it]... So it feels very personal to me."

Drew Barrymore smiles in an elegant blazer outfit with a sheer dotted skirt, standing in front of a "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" sign
Nbc / Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images

The film was actually announced back in 2002, and Drew was set to star in it. The plot involved the Wicked Witch of the West actually surviving after being melted by water, escaping Oz, and coming to modern-day New York in search of the ruby slippers — which are now in the possession of Drew's Dorothy, who is the great-great-granddaughter of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.

An illustrations of the Wicked Witch of the West, wearing a pointed hat and a flowing, dark cloak, with green skin and hands raised as if casting a spell
MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

Now, we know this would have been a sequel to the original movie because the ruby slippers are not part of the Oz books (in the books the slippers were silver, but MGM changed them for the movie so that they would "pop" in Technicolor). In fact, the ruby slippers are copyrighted, so if any studio were to use them in any adaption, they would be sued.

Close-up of Judy Garland's feet from "The Wizard of Oz" wearing blue socks, ruby slippers, standing on a yellow brick road, holding a star-shaped wand
Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection / Everett Collection

After that announcement, the project went dormant until 2010, when it was announced that Drew would now direct Surrender Dorothy, with a younger actor portraying Dorothy.

Drew Barrymore stands on stairs with wooden paneling, wearing a gown, holding a blue clutch, at The Appel Room
Nina Westervelt / Variety via Getty Images

While ultimately Surrender Dorothy never got made, Drew would still like to make it, saying, "As a director, I would give anything to [make] that."

Drew Barrymore smiles in a gown with flowing, multicolored sleeves, standing in front of a modern building
Raymond Hall / Getty Images

Okay, now I am curious: Would you want to see a sequel film that followed the Wicked Witch of the West trying to get the ruby slippers back? Sound off in the comments below!

Margaret Hamilton dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West, with green face makeup and wearing a black outfit and pointed hat, from "The Wizard of Oz"
MGM/ Courtesy Everett Collection

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